Murray and Earls back for Murrayfield trip

Conor Murray and Keith Earls will make their first appearances for Munster this season on the hallowed turf of Murrayfield.

Coach Anthony Foley has obviously decided he liked what he saw from Earls at No13 during the World Cup and has included him in an exciting centre combination with Francis Saili, still finding his way.

The much-discussed Simon Zebo will switch to full-back with wing assistance from the speedy Gerhard van den Heever and Ronan O'Mahony.

There are a total of eight changes from the highly entertaining, error-strewn victory over Ulster, signalled by a new front row of Dave Kilcoyne, Duncan Casey and John Ryan, also making his first start of the campaign.

This could be an altogether more tactical affair away to the club which boasts the second-best defence in the PRO12.

In such circumstances, Ian Keatley and Murray will have to control the direction of Munster's forwards to set the platform for the likes of Zebo, Earls and Van den Heever.

A happy pack is one that is going forward with prop Kilcoyne, hooker Casey, the evasive Jack O'Donoghue and captain CJ Stander their main gain-liners.